Dec 3, 2017With more visitors pouring into our island and local residents desiring to enjoy a TV-show-style beach fire, there are an increasing number of illegal and destructive beach fires taking place in the late evening and early-morning hours.

I have witnessed several wild beach parties taking place, 1-3 a.m., where groups of young individuals set fire to wooden pallets and throw firecrackers in the burning pile while smoking, drinking beer, etc. I did not feel safe to intervene.

I have called the authorities on occasion with mixed results, from being told to go enjoy the beach somewhere else, to having the group return and threaten me with violence for daring to call the cops on them.

I revisited some of the sites to clean up the mess, only to find that the burning pile was buried, and that tourists and beachgoers were lying almost directly over the vandalized spot.

Maui has no shortage of signs informing the public of rules and regulations, but these illegal beach fires are completely unaddressed. Since there is no way to monitor all the beaches at all times, a possible solution is to have designated areas with county-provided fire pits that keep the chemicals and charred ashes from contaminating the beach. We can’t pretend it is not happening, and beach partying will continue.

Beach bonfires are eating away at the number one reason people from all over the world visit our island. Please save our number one resource, our beaches.

• The Surgeon General has determined that there is no safe level of exposure to ambient smoke!

• If you smell even a subtle odor of smoke, you are being exposed to poisonous and carcinogenic chemical compounds!

• Even a brief exposure to smoke raises blood pressure, (no matter what your state of health) and can cause blood clotting, stroke, or heart attack in vulnerable people. Even children experience elevated blood pressure when exposed to smoke!

• Since smoke drastically weakens the lungs' immune system, avoiding smoke is one of the best ways to prevent colds, flu, bronchitis, or risk of an even more serious respiratory illness, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis! Does your child have the flu? Chances are they have been exposed to ambient smoke!